It’s no secret. I melt like a chocolate bar in the glorious sun when I see a grey-faced dog. I met delightful Sammie when he was a blossoming boy and man, did he LOVE jumping on people. How could he not? Sammie was such a happy guy who had to share his excitement at the sight of a “PERSON!” who deserved his paws-in-the-air enthusiasm. Then, I had the golden opportunity to see him again nine years later to help teach this choosy canine learn that other dogs were not as despicable as he seemed to think they were. Here’s Sammie’s story.

How did you and your dog find each other?
I saw a man walking a golden retriever puppy a few blocks from my house when I was driving to the store. I stopped to let the gentleman know that a fox was walking around the neighborhood. I’m not in the habit of stopping strangers on the street. But I had seen the pair strolling before and thought it was important to keep that cutie-pie puppy safe.

We started talking about Sammie, the puppy, and he said: “Do you want him?” He continued by sharing that his girlfriend and her kids loved him. But they weren’t home often, so they felt guilty about the extensive amount of time Sammie was alone and cooped up in his crate. While this may sound awful to die-hard dog lovers, they did love him and took wonderful care of him. He was healthy and well-trained in obedience at just 4-1/2 months old! They knew their limits, and I was lucky to have landed my darling dog.

What personality trait does your dog possess that contradicts his or her physical appearance?
Sammie is a big golden retriever, so people cross the street when they see us coming. If they only knew, he just wants to lick them from head to toe and lean in for a good petting session!

What are the biggest obstacles you and your dog have overcome together, and what was most helpful?
I adopted Sammie when he was almost five months old. He was well-trained but not socialized at all (there’s a difference) and was fearful of other dogs. I shared my home with a 10-year-old Eskie mix and spent the necessary time and effort properly introducing my dogs. I wanted to make sure my home was peaceful, and my dogs were happy. But the sight of other dogs in the neighborhood turned Sammie into a barking, snarling, lunging lunatic.

The biggest obstacle came on walks with Sammie. If he saw a dog, he would bark and growl and lunge like a crazy boy! It took a lot to control him and get him to calm down even after the dog had passed us.

Enter Brandi and the “touch” cue. Redirecting Sammie’s focus from the dog to me using “touch” was a game changer! Being the smart dog that he is and with Brandi’s fantastic guidance—it didn’t take long for both of us to enjoy our long walks.

If you could make a sign for the world to understand your dog’s individual needs better, what would it say?
All dogs stay away, PLEASE.

Anything else you want to share?
Sammie is almost 14 years young now. He’s no longer dog reactive. I still do “touch” with my sweet senior for mental stimulation. But now I only need put my hand in position for him to nose my fingers. He knows what I want which is great because his hearing is starting to fade— unlike my love for him and his adoration for people.

How did you and your dog find each other?
I found Kaia online after our last dog passed away from illness. I couldn’t sleep without a dog in the house and wanted a dog that I could start agility with who had no genetic health issues. We were going to pick up her sister but fell in love at first sight with Miss Kaia.

What is the biggest assumption people make based on your dog’s looks?
That she’s friendly and enjoys being pet, but she just wants to work. Kaia is super snuggly with our immediate family and naturally thinks her job in the house is to be our service dog. If someone is hurt or sad, Kaia tries her darndest to comfort them. She hates when we’re walking, and random people try to pet her. I keep her a bit scraggly on purpose because it seems to prevent strangers from touching her. I tried to tell them “no, ” but it wasn’t working. My Shaggy Strategy works great to help keep random hands from invading my sweet girl’s space AND helps keep her in a better place.

What personality trait does your dog possess that contradicts his or her physical appearance?
She has the collie wobbles (physically shaky, fearful, and uncertain) so we can’t do agility. We didn’t want Kaia to get hurt or reinforce her nervousness. She also has food allergies. We’ve trained her very well, but stubborn Kaia can be sneaky when bored—she has a deadly taste for chocolate. Kaia can open any fridge and climb any counter. She’s pushed a chair across the room to open the refrigerator so she can eat the sweet treats she watched put away for safe keeping. We have to outsmart our dog DAILY to prevent her from figuring out our McGyver, steel proof containers, and super-sleuth hiding places.

What are the biggest obstacles you and your dog have overcome together, and what was most helpful?
Whew! We’ve dealt with a lot! A short list: collie wobbles, gastro issues (she is allergic to beef and gets pancreatitis flares quickly), sound fears, and reactivity, dislike of other dogs and strangers, a hearty, independent streak, consistent need to be mentally stimulated, my own health issues, and sharing my attention and time with a child with my very physically and mentally active border collie.

If you could make a sign for the world to see to understand your dog’s individual needs better, what would it say?
Do not pet!

Anything else you want to share?
You do not always get the dog you think you want. You DO end up with who you need and who needs you. Had I not learned any of this from my pup, mostly by listening—I would not be a good mom to my kiddo who has especially sound reactive SPD (sensory perception disorder). Had we not put so much into dog training and tried to do it all on our own, after I had a kid…wow, everything would have been so much work. My girls (pup and kiddo) though are the best!

Oh, Sinna. We remember those icy blues and uncertainty the first time we met her. And, how patient her parents were while they were getting to know her and help her overcome her separation anxiety. Then, we remember how happy she was to see us when her family trusted us to work on her leash skills while they were out of the country. Trust, it takes time. Read on to find out more about Sinna and how many homes it took for her to find the people who deserve her love.

How did you and your dog find each other?
My 15.5-year-old Husky had died, and I was drowning in grief. I would often comfort myself by looking at photos of Huskies in need of rescue, thinking of the day–presumably far in the future when I felt ready–when I’d adopt one of my own. Then I came across the video of Sinna (formerly Cinnabon) from Animal Care League in Oak Brook (set to Maroon 5’s “She Will Be Loved,” no less–talk about heartbreaking!). The video explained that she was wary of men and needed an experienced owner and slow intros to anything new. When my husband, Nate, and I went to see her, we were warned further not to make eye contact with her, not to pet her, and not to engage her in any way basically. Sane people would have run, perhaps, but we had just spent 15.5 years with a dog- and people-aggressive Husky. We were open to the challenge. The meet-and-greet was fine, if not terribly informative; she was super hyper (23 hours a day in a cage will do that to you), but we couldn’t tell much beyond that since we were following orders and keeping our distance. But there was something about her–both in the video and in person. Something to which I connected immediately and forcefully. And when I learned that she had already been returned from two foster homes, that was it. I knew that we had to try to be her third-time’s-a-charm chance. She bonded to us almost immediately, I am happy to report, and 2.5 years later, is an amazing dog who just needed a chance (or perhaps three…). Sure, she has her issues, but who doesn’t? She takes a while to warm up to people and certainly doesn’t love strangers in the house, but I’m introverted myself. I can’t say I disagree with her. At the end of the day, she’s brilliant, so very affectionate, and just a lot of fun.

What is the biggest assumption people make based on your dog’s looks?
Sinna is half Husky, half “pit bull” (American Staffordshire Terrier, actually), and her appearance can certainly frighten people, especially her ice-blue eyes. People sometimes (perhaps often) cross the street to avoid her, and that is actually fine with me as she’s dog-reactive when on-leash (she loves other dogs and does not take kindly to being prevented from saying hi, but her impatience can read as aggression).

What personality trait does your dog possess that contradicts his or her physical appearance?
Sinna looks like a badass. She’s stocky and strong and just intense, at least appearance-wise. Also, she is quite clearly the queen bee of our three-dog pack. However, despite all that, she is SO sensitive. Her feelings are hurt very easily. The slightest raised voice or brusque reaction from Nate or me, and she is immediately at our side, offering her paw. In those moments, all she wants is to be held close on your lap and to give you endless kisses.

What are the biggest obstacles you and your dog have overcome together? And, what was most helpful in helping you do so?
Sinna suffers from separation anxiety, which in fact is the reason she was returned from one foster home. But we’ve worked with her a great deal on the issue and have reached if not a resolution, then an arrangement that we all find livable. Working with a wonderful trainer and learning to meet Sinna halfway (understanding and accepting, for example, that she will never be able to be crated) made all the difference.

If you could make a sign for the world to see to better understand your dog’s individual needs, what would it say?
“It’s not you, it’s me.” People can become so offended when you don’t want their dog to meet your dog or you don’t want them to pet your dog. It can make going for a walk a stressful experience (and don’t get me started on off-leash dogs!). But I’ve learned that it’s just a wiser tack. You never know how another dog will react, and humans certainly aren’t great at reading their signals. Also, leashes change the dynamic. And Sinna takes quite some time to warm up to people, so letting everyone bop-bop-bop her on the head during walks would be her nightmare. While I certainly believe in positive reinforcement and teaching appropriate behavior, I also strongly believe that, to a certain degree, you should accept the dog you have. We all have our foibles and fears, and the best I can do is set Sinna up for success to the greatest extent possible.

Anything else you want to share?
I can’t imagine life without Sinna. She’s not the perfect Disney dog, but I don’t know that they exist beyond the silver screen. She is smart and interesting and complicated and loyal and so very loving. With all that, who needs perfection?

Share your dog’s story by clicking here. Email us a photo at training@barkerbehavior.com

We met this 90 pound huggy hound back in 2011. Bo just loved everyone so much he wanted to throw his entire body on every single person he met. He has so much joy to share. And, poor, tender Bo does not understand why people cross the street when they see him coming. He would not hurt anyone, ever. Let us not judge him or any other dog by their color and size. Here is a short tale about a very big, affectionate dog.

How did you and your dog find each other?
Chicago Animal Care and Control (a.k.a The City Pound)

What is the biggest assumption people make based on your dog’s looks?
That he must be aggressive because he is a big, black Pit.

What personality trait does your dog possess that contradicts his or her physical appearance?
Bo is a love bug to a fault. He is my gentle giant.

What are the biggest obstacles you and your dog have overcome together? And, what was most helpful in helping you do so? Separation anxiety. My big baby boy did not like to be away from his mom (me) for the first full year as our furry companion.

If you could make a sign for the world to see to better understand your dog’s individual needs, what would it say?
I am a Lover, not a Fighter.